Incubator



July 26, 1932. LA VERNE c. sTURGls I INCUBATOB Filed June'f14, 1929 INvEm'on l 9 BY r4 ATTORNEYS il I Patented July 26, 1932 UNITED STATE LA VERNE c. STURGIs, or SPRINGFIELD.. oHro, .'AssrGNo'R, ,BrMEsNE AssiefNiirEN'rs,

To THE BUCKEYE INCUBATOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, orsBEAcHwooD, omo,

A CORPORATION OF OHIO i Application led June 14.

provide simple and eiective means for cone,

lining the air iiow to the individual hatchj ing trays to prevent the heat from the eggs in one tray from being carried to anothertrakyy and to also retard disease germs from be ng u carried from lone tray to another.

A further object of the invention is to f provide simple and eiective means for ar resting a flow of the chick iuflk and other refuse matter coming fromthe trays.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of so much of A an incubator chamber as is necessary to illus- Y fing through .the tray or,u trays immediately Fig. 2 is a section on theline 2--2 of Fig. 1.

trate my improvements.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of thev` series of hatching trays.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a portion of an enclosed chamber in which the hatching trays as Well as the trays containing the eggs in the process of incubation are located, this chamberhaving side walls l, end walls 2, a lioor 3 and a ceiling and roof (not shown). In the particular type of incubator shown there are provided division walls 4 to divide the chamber into a central corridor and two side incubating and hatching compartments. Heating coils 5 are located in the central corridor and in the upper portion thereof there is mounted an electric fan 6 which directs the air downwardly through the central corridor and upwardly through the side compartments which communicate with the central corri-` dor at theupper and lower ends thereof.

The trays are slidably mounted upon longitudinal strips 9 which are attached to the end walls 2 and also to suitable transversely Y extending intermediate vertical supports l0 which form enclosuresfor the sides of Athe trays; the trays being provided with supporting strips 8 on each side of the bottom thereof so that the trays will be suitablyspaced apart.

INcUB-A'ron i929. serial No." 371,697. y

Above and below'eachtrayiis a baille memy `rber,each member being constructed inthe present'case of a plate.` lllfof sheet metal. Each baiiie plate, excepting the uppermost `hasits ends u'pturned as indicateduat12,the `heightoftheupturned end being such asto leave a space yfor the passage of airy between e the-'upper edgesthereofj and the. adjacent and througlithe trays willbe unobstructed.

'I "hfe purpose of thegiipturned'ends of they plates JVis to provide a` deaolfa'irf` space abovek "each baffle plate whereby the flui and other refusefmatter circulated `with the air vvilvlbe` f caused' tje/settle upon the platesandthus re- Amev circulation. c .e V y y,These plates` also act toprevent tliefair which passes over any one tray from circulat-f above "it to prevent the yheat ofV the eggs in f one` tray from. being carried .toanothertray and also 'retard the dissemination o'f ,disease germs@ Having' claimt l; A plurality Vof horizontal non-tiltable hatching trays each having an openwork bottom arranged in spaced relation'one aboveM another, la compartmentor said-trays open only atits ends, a horizontal baiiie member c thus described my invention, I

,between adjacent trays in spaced relation' tlierew'itli,said baille member being yformed l trayso that the flow oflair over and under,l

fe the' f luli' andrefuse matter'from theair as a separate elementjfrom the trays, and:`

means for forcibly circulating air from onel vopen kend of said compartment to the other.

2. A plurality of hatching trays each having an openwork bottom arranged in spaced` relation one u' above another, compartment for said trays open only at its ends, a horizontal baille member between adjacent trays in spaced relation therewith, said baiiie member being formed as a separate element from the trays, and means for forciblyv circulatingv air from one open endk of said compartment to' the other, said baille vmember having a pocket on its upper side to provide a settling space. Y

33. A plurality of hatching trays each having an openwork bottom arranged in spaced relation one above another, a compartment for said trays open only at its ends, a hori-y zontal baffle member between adjacent trays in spaced relation therewith, said baiie member being Jformed as a separate element from the trays, and means for forcibly circulating air from one open end of said compartment to the other, said baiiie having its ends upturned, with the upturned ends extending at right angles to the generaldirection of iiow of the air to provide a dead air space on the upper surface of the baie.

4f. In an incubator, a stack of trays supported one above another in spaced relationshi each tray having an open bottom, a ba e member yabove each tray, said baffle members between adjacent trays being in spaced relationship therewith, each baiiie member except the upper one having upturned ends to form an air pocket below an upper adjacent tray, and means to force air over the trays.

5. In an incubator, a chamber having a pair of walls forming the chamber into side compartments and an intermediate corridor,`

each wall having an opening at its lower end leading from the corridor into a compartment, a stack of trays in each compartment adjacent the opening in the wall, a baiie member above each tray, said baffle members between adjacent trays of each stack being spaced therefrom, each baHie member except the upper ones having upturned ends to form an air pocket below an upper adjacent tray, and means in the corridor to force air through the openings and over eggs in the trays.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of J une 1929.

LA VERNE C., STURGIS. 

